San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-13

mere. Among all the varieties OF soci-
. ETY. you have been in, Charley, did you
ever attend real country tea-drinking
gathering beforegn
mo" replied the Captain, with q
laugh. II have been at home in Bel.
! gravia and Bohemia, | have attended
/ Government balls in India; but coun.
! try tea-party is gathering which
/ have never attended"
"You will like it." said Doctor Brent
II do. The girls are so pretty and un.
affected, so different from town-bred
misses. The fun is genuine, although
not always of the kind that would pass
! muster in Mayfair drawing-room-
such as old-fashioned dances and old.
! fashioned games, and the play at forfeit
and blind postman. In short, we are
very jolly, and not ut all supertine.n
II can imagine it. replied the Cap.
tain. do walk more quickly, Frank
or We shall never be there
"In Upton continued Frank, "the
men never dream of going to party
until after tea. We leave the ladies TO
enjoy hot mullins and scandal; We drop
in afterwards. l consider myself quite
fortunate in having such hero as Cap
tain Ruthven to introduce. i shall shine
in the light reflected from you, Charley"
Don't be so absurd, Frank. Do you
suppose the Upton people have never
seen soldier before?'
'Many a score; but it is not often that
an officer renowned for his bravery, a
e6terd, wounded, and consequently in
teresting, finds his way hither. | have
lived ten years in Upton. and you are
the first | have seen. Make up your
mind to accept an ovation; you will be
the conquering hero. Fall in love with
any one you like, excepting always May
Brooke. l am half in love with her my
SELF
These words brought them to the door
of large house, the last in the street,
at which the Doctor Immediately knock
ed.
Charles Ruthven and Frank Brent
had been at college together, and there
they had contracted friendship that
promised to last as long as they both
lived. Frank studied medicine, and
finally settled in Upton, small town in
Leicestershire, where he bought prac-
tice, which, by dint of hard work, he
had succeeded in making very good
one. He lived with his mother in a
large red-brick house in the middle of
in the town or neighborhood who did
not like and esteem Doctor Brent.
Charley Ruthven had gone into the
Army as soon as he had left college. He
had neither parents, brothers, nor Sis
tiers living, and seemed almost alone in
the world; but he loved his profession
and made his way in it. During an In
dian outbreak he distinguished himself
greatly, and was mentioned with honor
in several of the dispatches, and finally
had been promoted TO the rank of Cap
tain. In one of the engagements he had
been severely wounded, and was obliged
to return to England to recruit his
health. 1t was lonely work coming
home. No friendly face greeted the
invalid as he left the vessel and once
more set his foot upon English soil.
There was some one waiting for every
body else, but no one for him: and it
was at that moment that Captain Ruth
ven made up his mind that there should
be an end of all loneliness for him. for
he would marry. so that when he re-
turned to India he should have wife
to take with him.
1t was lonely now, but with his regi-
ment he had not felt lonely: he had been
in it some years, and no officer was more
loved than the brave young Captain.
Here in England life was different. He
called on some of his old college friends.
A few asked him to dinner, others
seemed to have almost forgotten him.
Not one amongst them cares whether
live or die" thought the poor fellow;
and then he resolved to leave London
and go down to Upton. where his friend,
almost brother, Frank Brent resided.
Mt n al
what quiet and sleepy. The scenery
around it was beautiful and even rO-
mantle, the country was well wooded,
the fields and meadows were green and
fertile.
One long street. called, after the old
ruins. Castle street, ran from one end of
Upton to the other. and there all regu-
larity ended. The church was almost
hidden by tall trees, and lay somewhat
behind the town. Pretty little houses
peeping from the green foliage met one
at every turn. Altogether, Upton was
the type of a small English country
town, possessing as it did the charms of
beauty and quiet.
The inhabitants of Upton were prin-
cipally well-tO-dO farmers and trades
people. They were a kind-hearted simple
race. living away from the roar and
hustle of the world, content to hear
news when it was two days old, and not
troubling themselves much about the
rise and fall of kingdoms; the wheat
crop was of far more consequence to
them than the dynasty of an empire.
They all knew each other, and a strange
face was a novelty in Upton.
Great therefore was the excitement
when it became known that a young
officer was visiting Doctor Brent. Any
one who had actually seen and spoken
to the stranger became person of note.
When Doctor Brent, in the most oblig-
ing manner, gave every information
about him, his age, his prospects, the
engagements he had taken part in. the
place where he had been wounded, peO-
pie We'd with each other as to who
should be first to invite him to their
houses, Nor was it all curiosity of love
of excitement that prompted them to
make these advances; there was in il
much of that real kindness and syIupa-
thy which English people are quick 10
show.
Captain Ruthven became more popu-
lar when Doctor Brent laughingly told
Q circle of matrOns that his friend had
resolved upon taking wife. back to
India with him. Doctor Brent himself
had resisted all gOod-natuTed efforts
made to provide him with better
half" He boldly declared that he could
not afford to marry yet. Considering
the scarcity Of eligible men in Upton,